From Sea To Shining Sea

Canada covers a vast territory from the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic. Some take time to explore the entire breadth of the country to fully experience the diverse landscapes. Others take quick flights over what is the second largest country on the planet. Russia has the world's largest land mass but wants more. Almost twice the size of Canada, Russia's brutal regime nonetheless covets Ukraine, homeland of my parents.

People come from all parts of the globe to Canada in search of a peaceful existence.

Whether settling by the sea, alongside mountains or in the prairies ...

they arrive with hope in their hearts and a sense of adventure mixed with trepidation.

   

Despite the challenges and room for improvements, I am thankful to have been born in Canada, a land that enjoys freedoms and rights not afforded to all citizens of the world.

As I celebrate my luck on Canada Day, a few simple words reminded me that fortunes are not set in stone and can change, in unforeseen ways, conceivably for the better.

Hope flickers brightest in the darker hours, despite existential threats to world peace.

Explore more at SKYWATCH and check out my sites: Postcards from Penelope Puddle and Musings of A Puddlist In B.C.

Because the state of our planet is the most pressing issue of our time, link up and learn about the  Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Report.

HOLD ONTO THE LIGHT

It's The Little Things ...

It's the little things we do that can lead to big results and a happy dance.

Scouring the beach.

Hunting for treasure.

Picking a daisy.

Keeping the plight of vulnerable sea-creatures afloat so they don't get erased.

Nourishing thirsty leaves. Can you see the sky in the tiny drops?

Pausing to reflect: "Do not think lightly of good, that nothing will come of it. A whole water pot will fill up from dripping drops of water," observed Gautama Buddha.

What had me jumping for joy recently was realizing that the small, normally plastic, bread clips were being replaced with biodegradable/recyclable paper. It's likely no exaggeration to say trillions of plastic tabs have infiltrated the ecosystem endangering wildlife.  In Canada, other "small conveniences" that ran amok such as plastic straws, stir sticks, cutlery and six-pack rings will soon be banned. Although food packaging, like the bread, is still most often encased in plastic, inventors are seeking more environmentally friendly methods in various spheres of modern life.

Explore more at SKYWATCH and check out my sites: Postcards from Penelope Puddle and Musings of A Puddlist In B.C.

Because the state of our planet is the most pressing issue of our time, link up and learn about the  Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Report.

HOLD ONTO THE LIGHT

Bouquets At The Beach

"Why not a space flower? Why do we always expect metal ships?" - W. D. Richter

Beach bouquets are usually not flowers tucked into driftwood.

Sometimes they're colorful knapsacks, towels and blankets strewn by the sea.

While some are hard at work in Crescent Beach, others are hard at play.

Some delight passersby with optimistic signs of goodwill.

Meanwhile, nature's job, both the rosy and thorny, is to multiply, transform and amaze.

In Ocean Park, pictured below, there is a light at the end of a tiny tunnel.

It opens to the sea and is beneath a railway track.

It was a gateway for small vessels transporting goods into the area.

Now it's a canvas for graffiti.

On windless days when the sun is a blush on the water, the scene is calming.

To get there walkers must first take 1001 STEPS down a great many stairs.

At the bottom, a slender path awaits and invites us to sit a spell and ponder existence.

Explore more at SKYWATCH and check out my sites: Postcards from Penelope Puddle and Musings of A Puddlist In B.C.

Because the state of our planet is the most pressing issue of our time, link up and learn about the  Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Report.

HOLD ONTO THE LIGHT

Precious Ground

“You must not lose faith in humanity. Humanity is an ocean; if a few drops of the ocean are dirty, the ocean does not become dirty.” – Mahatma Gandhi

We mean well. Sometimes we have hearts of gold and can step in another's shoes.

But precious ground is what we fight for ... whether that be on land, in space or at sea. As territorial as the fiercest of creatures, humankind seems willing to shake up/blast out both heaven and earth and risk it all to stake its claims.

We make major messes and rarely clean them up. Some hearts are made of stone. 

Most have a dreamy side where thoughts freely float like clouds over peaceful places.

We pray and hope for the best as we build, break and create remarkable inventions.

There are twists and turns and tests ... nothing is ever as easy as it seems.

Sometimes we just want to heal, rest, grow what we know and watch for better days.

Explore more at Skywatch and check out my sites: Postcards from Penelope Puddle and Musings of A Puddlist In B.C.

Because the state of our planet is the most pressing issue of our time, link up and learn about the  Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Report.

HOLD ONTO THE LIGHT